The Path To Greatness

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This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.200 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.520 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.559 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.559 education employer's respect. 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Download the uns stap and use the 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:20.840 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.400 fifty dollars bonus when you fund your account. That's code 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:26.400 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.280 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:30.120 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.400 --> 0:01:34.320 Hi, this is Joel today. Our son Jonathan is going 0:01:34.360 --> 0:01:36.520 to be sharing with you. I hope you enjoy the 0:01:36.560 --> 0:01:45.559 podcast tonight. 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:50.559 I want to talk about the path to greatness. Each 0:01:50.600 --> 0:01:53.800 one of us has a desire to do something meaningful, 0:01:54.360 --> 0:01:57.600 to live a life worth remembering. We all want to 0:01:57.640 --> 0:01:59.600 reach our dreams and become. 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:02.800 The best version of ourselves. It's the way God designed us. 0:02:03.480 --> 0:02:06.680 No one wakes up in the morning and says, I 0:02:06.720 --> 0:02:08.360 hope I'm just mediocre today. 0:02:09.120 --> 0:02:10.480 God, please help. 0:02:10.360 --> 0:02:14.720 Me to be more insignificant. That's not in our nature. 0:02:15.320 --> 0:02:19.919 We're meant to advance. We're wired for greatness. We admire 0:02:20.200 --> 0:02:23.320 people who have done great things and wonder how we 0:02:23.360 --> 0:02:28.160 could achieve something great ourselves. God put that desire in 0:02:28.240 --> 0:02:32.200 each one of our hearts, but many times the true 0:02:32.360 --> 0:02:37.880 path to greatness is completely overlooked. I had a friend. 0:02:38.480 --> 0:02:41.519 They had a dream to work in politics. He got 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:43.040 a job in Washington. 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:42.919 D c. 0:02:43.639 --> 0:02:46.080 And joined a group of talented, up and coming people 0:02:46.080 --> 0:02:48.920 in the same field. They worked on all sorts of 0:02:48.960 --> 0:02:52.320 projects together, But it wasn't long before he began to 0:02:52.440 --> 0:02:57.359 realize these friends were only his friends as long as 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:01.079 he wasn't in the way of them moving up. They 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:03.600 were so determined to succeed they would do whatever they 0:03:03.639 --> 0:03:07.240 had to. They would talk down about someone in front 0:03:07.240 --> 0:03:10.760 of their superiors to make themselves look good. They wouldn't 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:15.080 share about opportunities. They were only concerned with their own elevation. 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:18.880 It was all a means to an end. After a 0:03:18.919 --> 0:03:22.160 few years, my friend decided that just wasn't the way 0:03:22.240 --> 0:03:26.960 he wanted to live his life. He sought greatness, but 0:03:27.040 --> 0:03:29.079 he knew there had to be a better path. 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:33.720 Society says you have to do whatever it takes to 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:36.440 get to the top. Win it all costs. 0:03:37.000 --> 0:03:40.280 It's now or never, doesn't matter who you have to 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:40.800 step on. 0:03:41.360 --> 0:03:43.920 Or what stands in the way. That's what it takes 0:03:43.960 --> 0:03:46.480 to succeed. Most of the time. 0:03:47.040 --> 0:03:50.400 It's not that we're trying to put people down, but 0:03:50.520 --> 0:03:53.600 all that we've been told is you have to grind, 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:56.960 work your way to the top, fight for position. 0:03:57.640 --> 0:03:59.320 That's what's required to be great. 0:04:00.200 --> 0:04:02.800 It can feel like if we're not giving all of 0:04:02.840 --> 0:04:06.520 our energy to our own goals and ambitions and we're 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:10.840 falling behind. But what if there was a better approach, 0:04:11.760 --> 0:04:15.000 What if there was a path to greatness society doesn't 0:04:15.040 --> 0:04:20.240 talk about. Who could show us the way? The disciples 0:04:20.520 --> 0:04:24.640 were arguing about this very thing. Two of them had 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:27.920 asked Jesus if they could be the ones to sit 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:31.719 beside him in his kingdom. When the others heard about this, 0:04:32.240 --> 0:04:36.120 they were so furious they couldn't believe they had the 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:40.960 audacity to ask that, to ask for this position of greatness, a. 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:41.840 Place of honor. 0:04:42.600 --> 0:04:47.480 It finally got so heated among them Jesus himself spoke 0:04:47.560 --> 0:04:50.360 up to put an end to the debate. He said, 0:04:50.839 --> 0:04:54.599 whoever wants to be great, I'll tell you how I 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:55.279 can imagine. 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:58.680 The room fell silent. Peter might have pushed his way 0:04:58.720 --> 0:04:59.320 to the front. 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:06.680 Everyone lean forward in anticipation, and Jesus said, whoever wants 0:05:06.760 --> 0:05:12.520 to be great, I mean truly great, must become a servant. 0:05:14.120 --> 0:05:17.279 No one said a word, but I can almost hear 0:05:17.360 --> 0:05:24.320 them asking, is that it? Then Jesus said again, the 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:26.120 greatest of all. 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:33.360 Is the one who serves the disciples. Could have thought, Jesus, 0:05:33.920 --> 0:05:36.880 I don't know how to tell you this, but if 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:37.719 that's the new. 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:40.880 Book you're writing, I don't think it's gonna sell. They 0:05:40.960 --> 0:05:45.120 probably expected him to say, if you perform miracles, if 0:05:45.120 --> 0:05:49.160 you have influence, when everyone knows your name, then you'll 0:05:49.200 --> 0:05:52.320 be great. But so many things in the Kingdom of 0:05:52.360 --> 0:05:59.440 God seen backwards on the surface. Greatness isn't found in notoriety, acknowledgment, 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:00.880 or accomplishments. 0:06:01.600 --> 0:06:06.320 It's found when we live for something greater than ourselves. 0:06:07.800 --> 0:06:11.599 Society says we have to work our way to the top, 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:13.280 but the truth. 0:06:13.120 --> 0:06:15.640 Is we serve our way up. 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:20.320 Jesus laid out the true path to greatness, and it's 0:06:20.440 --> 0:06:24.880 paved with helping others. When we lift people, when we 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:28.080 lend them a hand, when we offer what we have, 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:33.080 then we rise higher. God lifts us. He gives us 0:06:33.200 --> 0:06:37.520 more in return. That's not why we serve. That's just 0:06:37.839 --> 0:06:41.840 how good our God is. My friend that worked in 0:06:41.920 --> 0:06:45.520 politics can attest to this. He decided to take the 0:06:45.600 --> 0:06:50.039 right approach. When he began to serve, God brought him 0:06:50.080 --> 0:06:54.120 to levels he would have never imagined. When he decided 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:58.440 to change his focus from how can I outdo someone? 0:06:58.600 --> 0:07:03.120 So what can I do for someone? Greatness started looking 0:07:03.160 --> 0:07:03.920 for him. 0:07:04.320 --> 0:07:06.960 Opportunities began to chase him down. 0:07:07.880 --> 0:07:12.440 Now, many years later, he's an executive at a worldwide 0:07:12.560 --> 0:07:16.640 organization that's making a difference in people's lives across the globe. 0:07:16.680 --> 0:07:20.920 He has a happy family, he's helping others. But he 0:07:21.000 --> 0:07:24.360 said he would have never had this kind of fulfillment 0:07:24.800 --> 0:07:28.640 if he had taken another route. So many people want 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:32.040 what God offers, but they go about it the wrong way. 0:07:32.880 --> 0:07:36.119 They're set on a dead end road when the true 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:41.400 path to greatness is right before them. The principles Heaven 0:07:41.560 --> 0:07:46.680 values most are often the most underrated in the modern day. 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:50.960 Society says you have to fight your way to the top, 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:56.320 but God says, serve your way. They say stay busy, 0:07:56.920 --> 0:08:00.960 God says, take time for others. They say take all 0:08:01.000 --> 0:08:04.480 you can get, but God says, give all that you 0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:08.600 can Instead of thinking how can I be blessed? 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:12.600 We can ask ourselves how can I be a blessing? 0:08:13.280 --> 0:08:17.760 Who can I serve? How can I be good to someone? Today? 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:24.040 We might think, but what about my dreams? What about 0:08:24.080 --> 0:08:24.760 my goals? 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:29.640 Most of us would never push someone down to rise higher, 0:08:30.360 --> 0:08:33.480 But we're too busy to serve. We don't have time 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:37.920 to show someone else favor. We have goals, we have ambitions. 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:42.000 How will we accomplish our dreams if we're always stopping 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:44.079 to help someone else along the way. 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:47.319 What if it slows us down or worse? 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:50.160 What if we put in a good word for them 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:54.120 and they get the position we want. What if they 0:08:54.160 --> 0:08:57.520 go further than us and it's our fault? 0:08:58.240 --> 0:08:59.960 I imagine one of the reasons. 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:02.920 To decide diciples were so upset when they found out 0:09:02.960 --> 0:09:06.120 two of them had asked to sit beside Jesus. Was 0:09:06.160 --> 0:09:09.760 not because those two would be honored. It wasn't because 0:09:09.800 --> 0:09:14.120 they would be considered great. The other disciples were concerned 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:17.440 about what would happen to them. Maybe there wouldn't be 0:09:17.440 --> 0:09:22.520 anything left. Thoughts may say, don't help, there won't be 0:09:22.559 --> 0:09:28.079 anything left for you, or don't serve, you're too busy, 0:09:28.120 --> 0:09:31.360 you don't have time for that. But the truth is 0:09:32.040 --> 0:09:37.160 you don't have time not to. Jesus said, whoever wants to. 0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:39.800 Be great must be a servant. 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:44.400 It's not an option. Until we learn to serve, we're 0:09:44.440 --> 0:09:48.040 just treading water. We may think it's slowing us down, 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:52.720 but in reality, not doing it could be the only thing. 0:09:52.679 --> 0:09:56.840 Holding us back. That's what allows God to take us higher. 0:09:57.440 --> 0:10:01.600 That's what causes him to promote us. You're never wasting 0:10:01.679 --> 0:10:04.760 time serving others. It's not slowing you down. 0:10:04.840 --> 0:10:06.679 It's building momentum. 0:10:07.200 --> 0:10:09.680 God will cause the rest of your time to be 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:12.640 more valuable and effective. 0:10:12.280 --> 0:10:14.640 Than all of it would have been as a whole. 0:10:15.640 --> 0:10:18.320 And you don't have to worry about people taking your spot. 0:10:18.920 --> 0:10:22.600 When you build someone else up, when you help them 0:10:22.880 --> 0:10:26.280 reach their next level, God will do the same for you. 0:10:27.040 --> 0:10:30.800 He controls the universe. He can open doors you didn't 0:10:30.840 --> 0:10:31.280 even know. 0:10:31.240 --> 0:10:31.960 Where an option. 0:10:33.160 --> 0:10:35.680 How do you know He's not using you to help 0:10:35.800 --> 0:10:39.560 promote them so that they could recommend you at an. 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:40.480 Even higher level. 0:10:41.200 --> 0:10:44.600 That's what happened to Joseph when he was in prison. 0:10:45.000 --> 0:10:49.440 He helped interpret someone's dream, but soon after that man 0:10:49.640 --> 0:10:52.000 was released, Joseph could. 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:55.400 Have thought, well, that was a waste of time. Now 0:10:55.480 --> 0:10:57.280 he's free and I'm stuck here. 0:10:58.200 --> 0:11:02.080 But it was that act of service that actually got 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:04.760 Joseph introduced to the Pharaoh. 0:11:04.920 --> 0:11:06.079 Through it, he wasn't. 0:11:05.880 --> 0:11:09.360 Just set free from prison, he was put in charge 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:13.760 of the entire nation. All of this happened because he 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:16.640 was willing to help one man with his dream. 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:19.440 Whose dream can you serve? 0:11:21.120 --> 0:11:24.520 When I was in school, I heard a lot about networking. 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:28.440 It was all about who you know, how to work 0:11:28.480 --> 0:11:32.800 your way up through connections. Everyone was asking the same question, 0:11:33.760 --> 0:11:37.400 how do I make it? In other words, how do 0:11:37.440 --> 0:11:41.839 I do something great? The professors would tell us, get 0:11:41.880 --> 0:11:44.840 a job in this field, try to meet this person, 0:11:45.160 --> 0:11:47.719 get them to see your work. Maybe that will get 0:11:47.760 --> 0:11:51.280 you a door opened. I studied film, and I heard 0:11:51.280 --> 0:11:55.080 the path to Hollywood laid out so many times it 0:11:55.120 --> 0:12:00.080 became exhausting. It was always what can they do for me? 0:12:01.320 --> 0:12:04.560 But not once did I hear what can I do 0:12:04.600 --> 0:12:05.000 for them? 0:12:05.960 --> 0:12:09.679 How can I help? What if that was the approach 0:12:10.120 --> 0:12:13.440 we took to greatness? What if that was how we 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:14.120 lived our. 0:12:14.000 --> 0:12:19.959 Lives, Less grinding, more giving, less about who we know, 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:25.559 more about how much we care, less comparison and more kindness. 0:12:26.080 --> 0:12:29.160 Our value for people not being in what they can 0:12:29.240 --> 0:12:34.120 offer us, but what we can offer. Then I'm not 0:12:34.240 --> 0:12:37.920 talking about laying down your dreams and ambitions. 0:12:38.360 --> 0:12:40.439 I'm not saying settle. 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:43.800 For less or let people walk all over you. Jesus 0:12:44.000 --> 0:12:46.760 is trying to teach us how to be great. 0:12:47.720 --> 0:12:51.360 He said it best. If you're not after greatness, then 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:52.280 this is not for you. 0:12:53.080 --> 0:12:57.240 If you don't have big goals and aspirations, then you're 0:12:57.280 --> 0:12:59.120 actually missing the first part. 0:12:59.800 --> 0:13:03.479 This is for those with vision, people who are motivated. 0:13:04.080 --> 0:13:08.400 This is for leaders, doctors, artists, people with passion on 0:13:08.480 --> 0:13:13.319 the inside. If you want to become great, find someone 0:13:13.440 --> 0:13:13.960 to serve. 0:13:14.760 --> 0:13:17.280 If you want to rise high or lift someone else. 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:21.880 If you want to reach your destiny, help somebody reach theirs. 0:13:22.559 --> 0:13:26.079 When you take care of God's children, he will always 0:13:26.400 --> 0:13:31.079 take care of you. We have the opportunity to visit 0:13:31.120 --> 0:13:34.000 one of the major Hollywood film studios with a friend 0:13:34.000 --> 0:13:36.720 of ours that works in TV. He's one of the 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:41.360 most renowned successful producers in the whole industry. He was 0:13:41.400 --> 0:13:45.480 showing us around the lot, given this passionate speech about 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:48.800 how he got started with the studio, when all of 0:13:48.840 --> 0:13:53.480 a sudden, this older woman interrupted him to ask how 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:57.319 to get to a particular office. At first, I was 0:13:57.440 --> 0:14:00.920 kind of nervous. I wasn't sure how he would respond. 0:14:01.679 --> 0:14:05.199 This lady clearly had no idea who she was talking to. 0:14:05.880 --> 0:14:08.760 She could just cut off one of the most important 0:14:08.840 --> 0:14:13.960 people in the business to ask for directions. But he stopped, 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:18.760 turned to her, and in the most genuine way, he said, 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:21.840 I'm sorry, ma'am, I don't know where that is, but 0:14:21.920 --> 0:14:24.640 let me help you find it. He told us he'd 0:14:24.680 --> 0:14:28.320 be right back, and I watched him walk probably fifty 0:14:28.440 --> 0:14:31.240 yards to another building to help her find what she 0:14:31.400 --> 0:14:35.640 was looking for. I would have understood if he had said, 0:14:36.080 --> 0:14:39.840 I don't know, just go ask someone else, But he cared. 0:14:40.640 --> 0:14:44.040 He took time to help. He showed this woman the 0:14:44.120 --> 0:14:48.520 way everyone else knew. He was the boss, but he 0:14:48.640 --> 0:14:53.000 wasn't too big to serve. That's the mark of greatness. 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:57.760 Those are the signs. It's not just someone's talent or 0:14:57.800 --> 0:14:59.240 ability or education. 0:15:00.080 --> 0:15:01.680 It's the heart of a servant. 0:15:02.480 --> 0:15:05.680 That's what got him there, and that's what sustains him. 0:15:06.320 --> 0:15:10.160 Someone as busy as this producer was willing to stop 0:15:10.200 --> 0:15:12.840 what he was doing for a moment to be good 0:15:12.880 --> 0:15:16.560 to someone else. He even went the extra mile, and 0:15:16.600 --> 0:15:20.200 he didn't ask for anything in return. It's not about 0:15:20.240 --> 0:15:24.680 taking a lowly position. This guy was in charge, he 0:15:24.760 --> 0:15:28.720 was the boss. But it's about an attitude that says, 0:15:28.720 --> 0:15:32.520 wherever I am, I'm here to serve, I'm here to give. 0:15:33.160 --> 0:15:37.520 How can I help. It's easy to think, well. 0:15:37.320 --> 0:15:39.920 I'm not a big time producer like this man. 0:15:40.520 --> 0:15:43.120 If I was the boss, then i'd help others. 0:15:43.840 --> 0:15:46.280 If people were watching, then I could be an example. 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:52.160 But that's backwards. This is the path to greatness. These 0:15:52.160 --> 0:15:55.520 are the actions that lead you there. When you're willing 0:15:55.800 --> 0:15:59.880 to put someone else first, when you help solve their problem, 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:02.160 when you go out of your way to be good 0:16:02.240 --> 0:16:04.359 to people, then each. 0:16:04.200 --> 0:16:06.240 Day is a step in the right direction. 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.360 The qualities that we see in this man are things 0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:14.640 he developed long before he ever reached that level. When 0:16:14.680 --> 0:16:19.760 you make serving your priority, God will give you promotion, breakthroughs, 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:24.440 and opportunities you couldn't have gotten on your own. One 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:28.160 week before Jesus went to the Cross, he gathered with 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:29.720 his disciples. 0:16:29.080 --> 0:16:29.640 For a meal. 0:16:30.520 --> 0:16:33.400 At this point, he already knew his time was coming 0:16:33.400 --> 0:16:37.440 to an end. That gives us such insight into what 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:42.160 his priorities were. He didn't have a moment to waste. 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:45.160 If we knew we only had one week left on 0:16:45.200 --> 0:16:48.640 this earth, we would make a count, We would do 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:53.320 something meaningful. So whatever Jesus was planning must have been 0:16:53.400 --> 0:16:57.400 of the utmost importance. He was probably working on his 0:16:57.560 --> 0:16:58.840 biggest miracle yet. 0:16:59.600 --> 0:17:03.280 Maybe it is time. He was going to feed ten thousand. 0:17:03.200 --> 0:17:07.040 Or twenty thousand people with one meal. Maybe he was 0:17:07.080 --> 0:17:11.000 planning to open every blind eye or calm an even 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:11.960 greater storm. 0:17:13.000 --> 0:17:15.320 But in the final moments. 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:21.040 Of Jesus's life, when every second counted, he got down 0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:25.840 on the floor, poured water into a basin and washed 0:17:25.840 --> 0:17:26.960 his disciples feet. 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:30.080 He didn't do it because he had to. 0:17:30.280 --> 0:17:33.440 He did it because he loved them, And then. 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:35.000 He told us to go and do the same. 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:41.200 The importance Jesus placed on serving others can't be overstated. 0:17:42.800 --> 0:17:45.919 With everything he was capable of, that's what he considered 0:17:46.160 --> 0:17:51.720 the highest priority. What if we made others a priority 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:53.080 in our lives. 0:17:53.440 --> 0:17:56.400 I wonder what would happen if we took five minutes 0:17:56.480 --> 0:17:59.280 a day to think of ways we could be good 0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:00.320 to someone else. 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:02.919 What would our world begin to look like? 0:18:03.760 --> 0:18:06.920 We could send someone an encouraging text and let them 0:18:06.960 --> 0:18:10.399 know how much we appreciate them. We could help our 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:12.080 friend move into their new apartment. 0:18:12.600 --> 0:18:14.240 We could buy our coworkers lunch. 0:18:15.160 --> 0:18:18.639 One of the best ways to say thank you Jesus 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:22.240 for what you've done for me is to ask what 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:26.600 can I do for someone else? It's great when God 0:18:26.680 --> 0:18:31.040 brings us opportunities to serve, but when we start looking 0:18:31.119 --> 0:18:36.000 for them, blessings start looking for us. Think of something 0:18:36.000 --> 0:18:38.320 you're good at and use it to be good to 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:43.000 someone else. Maybe you can cook, why not deliver a meal? 0:18:43.800 --> 0:18:47.800 Maybe you're brilliant with finances. You could help someone else 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:51.600 balance their budget. Or maybe you love fashion buy someone 0:18:51.640 --> 0:18:55.640 a pair of shoes. When's the last time we stop. 0:18:55.480 --> 0:18:58.480 To get creative with how we could be a blessing. 0:18:59.400 --> 0:19:03.120 Taking five minutes a day to really think of what 0:19:03.160 --> 0:19:06.840 we could do for someone else could not only change 0:19:06.920 --> 0:19:11.080 their lives, but it could change ours. We could start 0:19:11.119 --> 0:19:13.520 with the people closest to us, our family. 0:19:14.280 --> 0:19:16.159 How can we honor them? 0:19:16.280 --> 0:19:19.280 We could consider who's going to cross our path that day. 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:22.800 What's one thing that we could do for that person. 0:19:23.600 --> 0:19:24.560 That's all it takes. 0:19:25.600 --> 0:19:30.800 God blesses us to be blessings, not to be hoarders. 0:19:31.200 --> 0:19:35.240 He gives seed to the sower, not to the seed collector. 0:19:36.000 --> 0:19:40.120 When we begin to realize every good thing comes from Him, 0:19:40.680 --> 0:19:43.800 it starts to shape the purpose of it. We begin 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.440 to recognize just what we're meant to do with it. 0:19:47.280 --> 0:19:48.080 Think of it like this. 0:19:49.080 --> 0:19:52.400 If God gave you that car, who are you going 0:19:52.440 --> 0:19:56.560 to give a ride? If he gave you that management position, 0:19:57.200 --> 0:20:00.119 who are you going to Mentor if he gave give 0:20:00.160 --> 0:20:02.879 you that creative idea, who is it going to serve? 0:20:03.720 --> 0:20:06.639 There is nothing greater than coming to the end of 0:20:06.680 --> 0:20:11.119 a day and knowing someone else is better off because 0:20:11.160 --> 0:20:15.680 God blessed us so that we could bless them. When 0:20:15.720 --> 0:20:18.600 my mom was about twenty years old, she would pick 0:20:18.680 --> 0:20:22.159 this older lady up from her house every Sunday and 0:20:22.200 --> 0:20:23.119 bring her to church. 0:20:23.920 --> 0:20:26.720 It meant so much to this woman that this young 0:20:26.760 --> 0:20:28.719 girl would take the time to do that. 0:20:29.800 --> 0:20:32.160 She lived alone, and the person that had brought her 0:20:32.200 --> 0:20:36.040 before had moved away. My mom had realized she hadn't 0:20:36.080 --> 0:20:38.280 seen her in a few weeks, so she began to 0:20:38.320 --> 0:20:41.840 ask where she had gone. Once she found out, she 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:44.960 offered to give her a ride. From then on, this 0:20:45.040 --> 0:20:48.520 woman was so grateful. My mom told me that was 0:20:48.560 --> 0:20:51.639 one of her favorite memories of how great friends they 0:20:51.720 --> 0:20:56.600 became over those years. Serving is as simple as asking 0:20:56.720 --> 0:21:00.040 someone what they need and doing what you can to 0:20:59.840 --> 0:21:03.480 meet it. I've found when you take the time to 0:21:03.600 --> 0:21:07.080 ask a person how you can help, just the question 0:21:07.320 --> 0:21:11.679 itself shows how much you care and adds value to 0:21:11.800 --> 0:21:14.920 their life. It shines a light, and the people that 0:21:15.000 --> 0:21:17.000 really need help will tell you how. 0:21:17.720 --> 0:21:18.280 It could be a. 0:21:18.240 --> 0:21:21.199 Woman looking for a ride to work. It could be 0:21:21.240 --> 0:21:24.640 a single parent struggling to pay the rent. It could 0:21:24.640 --> 0:21:27.320 even be a friend that just needs someone to talk to. 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:30.880 You don't have to have all the answers, but will 0:21:30.920 --> 0:21:32.240 you do what you can. 0:21:33.680 --> 0:21:36.040 We're not meant to be the center of our lives 0:21:36.119 --> 0:21:39.920 twenty four hours a day. The reason some people aren't 0:21:39.960 --> 0:21:44.119 happy is because all they think about is their wants, 0:21:44.560 --> 0:21:46.720 their needs, and their problems. 0:21:47.119 --> 0:21:49.680 I say this respectfully, but if you're. 0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:53.760 Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, maybe you need to take a 0:21:53.760 --> 0:21:54.520 break from you. 0:21:55.560 --> 0:21:56.280 We all do. 0:21:57.000 --> 0:21:59.800 It's not healthy to have us on our minds twenty 0:21:59.840 --> 0:22:03.200 five hours a day. Take a break from the busyness, 0:22:04.040 --> 0:22:07.159 Take a break from what's bothering you take a break 0:22:07.160 --> 0:22:11.240 from the struggle and be good to someone else. Give 0:22:11.240 --> 0:22:14.360 your thoughts a chance to think about something other than 0:22:14.480 --> 0:22:15.400 just what's wrong. 0:22:16.040 --> 0:22:17.040 When you focus your. 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:21.760 Attention on good things, like helping others, it releases the 0:22:21.800 --> 0:22:27.440 rest to God. The Bible says, our Father already knows 0:22:27.560 --> 0:22:32.240 what we need before we even ask. That gives us 0:22:32.320 --> 0:22:35.840 the freedom to live at peace and spend our time 0:22:35.920 --> 0:22:41.040 on other things. Serving people is like saying God, I 0:22:41.200 --> 0:22:42.920 trust you so much with my. 0:22:42.960 --> 0:22:46.439 Life that I'm willing to put my time, energy, and 0:22:46.520 --> 0:22:48.200 focus towards someone else. 0:22:48.960 --> 0:22:52.200 When you put serving at the sinner, you're putting Jesus 0:22:52.320 --> 0:22:56.000 at the center. You're taking care of people and allowing 0:22:56.080 --> 0:22:57.520 Him to take care of you. 0:22:58.320 --> 0:22:59.640 It's the best way to live. 0:23:00.320 --> 0:23:04.120 It's the path to a great and fulfilling life. 0:23:04.359 --> 0:23:08.440 It feels good, it's exciting. That's what God intended. 0:23:09.320 --> 0:23:11.520 We can look forward to all the ways this is 0:23:11.560 --> 0:23:15.400 going to add joy, energy and strength to our lives. 0:23:16.920 --> 0:23:17.440 There was a. 0:23:17.400 --> 0:23:20.879 Boy out in the shepherd's field tending to his father's sheep. 0:23:21.800 --> 0:23:25.560 He had greatness on the inside. In fact, God had 0:23:25.640 --> 0:23:29.600 chosen him to be the next king of Israel. But 0:23:29.720 --> 0:23:32.920 his first stop wasn't the throne or even. 0:23:32.720 --> 0:23:36.160 The palace at all. After he was annoint to king, 0:23:36.760 --> 0:23:38.880 David went right back. 0:23:38.600 --> 0:23:41.000 To the field that he came from and continued to 0:23:41.080 --> 0:23:44.399 care for the sheep. One day, his father came to 0:23:44.480 --> 0:23:47.400 him and asked him to deliver food to his brothers, 0:23:47.600 --> 0:23:51.200 who were in another city serving in the army. David 0:23:51.240 --> 0:23:54.720 could have thought, I'm not some errand boy, I'm supposed 0:23:54.760 --> 0:23:57.879 to be king. Can't someone else deliver this food? 0:23:58.800 --> 0:24:00.000 But we don't read one. 0:24:00.119 --> 0:24:05.280 Instance where David was too proud to serve. God had 0:24:05.320 --> 0:24:08.919 given him a big promise, yet he was willing to 0:24:08.960 --> 0:24:12.920 do a small thing. That's the mark of greatness showing through. 0:24:13.760 --> 0:24:17.720 The Next morning, David set out with food for his brothers. 0:24:18.440 --> 0:24:20.760 When he arrived at their camp, he began to hear 0:24:20.800 --> 0:24:24.359 the shouts of a man named Goliath, champion of the 0:24:24.359 --> 0:24:27.879 Philistine army, taunting the Israelites and their god. 0:24:29.080 --> 0:24:30.760 We all know where this story. 0:24:30.480 --> 0:24:35.960 Goes, But if David hadn't gone to deliver his brother's lunch, 0:24:36.760 --> 0:24:40.000 he would have never met Goliath. If he hadn't been 0:24:40.040 --> 0:24:43.240 willing to do a small thing, we wouldn't be talking 0:24:43.280 --> 0:24:44.119 about him today. 0:24:45.000 --> 0:24:46.560 His destiny was. 0:24:46.560 --> 0:24:50.160 Disguised in something that looked insignificant. 0:24:51.080 --> 0:24:53.359 His purpose was hidden in a sandwich. 0:24:54.080 --> 0:24:58.560 It's not always the impressive, giant slaying moments. 0:24:58.119 --> 0:25:00.960 That lead to greatness, but the little. 0:25:00.720 --> 0:25:04.879 Acts of obedience along the way that are just as important. 0:25:05.920 --> 0:25:09.960 I wonder what levels of greatness are waiting for us 0:25:10.480 --> 0:25:15.119 in something that looks insignificant. You may have a big 0:25:15.200 --> 0:25:18.119 future ahead of you, but the job you're at right 0:25:18.160 --> 0:25:22.520 now seems too small. You're tired of serving someone else's vision. 0:25:23.680 --> 0:25:27.480 You might not see it yet, but your destiny could 0:25:27.520 --> 0:25:31.840 be waiting in that very next act of obedience. That 0:25:31.880 --> 0:25:35.280 could be how you meet your Goliath. Don't miss an 0:25:35.320 --> 0:25:39.119 opportunity to serve because it looks insignificant. 0:25:39.800 --> 0:25:42.440 God is searching for people he can trust. 0:25:42.119 --> 0:25:45.879 With the little things before he gives them something even greater. 0:25:46.800 --> 0:25:50.800 Like David, we have to humble ourselves and serve others, 0:25:51.280 --> 0:25:52.600 even when we know there's. 0:25:52.480 --> 0:25:53.840 Much more inside of us. 0:25:55.040 --> 0:25:59.480 When King saw heard that a teenage boy was inquiring 0:25:59.520 --> 0:26:04.800 about Goliath, the Bible says he's sent for David. 0:26:05.840 --> 0:26:08.320 Royalty came looking for him. 0:26:08.960 --> 0:26:12.960 David went to deliver a sandwich and found himself standing 0:26:13.359 --> 0:26:17.560 in the presence of the King. That's the power of serving. 0:26:18.320 --> 0:26:22.600 That's the path to greatness. God will cause you to 0:26:22.680 --> 0:26:27.000 be sent for. He'll cause people to notice you. 0:26:27.000 --> 0:26:29.560 You'll be in the right place at the right time. 0:26:30.480 --> 0:26:34.600 David didn't leave home that morning looking for an opportunity. 0:26:34.720 --> 0:26:37.840 He wasn't trying to make things happen in his own strength. 0:26:38.680 --> 0:26:42.359 In the same way, you don't have to manipulate the situation. 0:26:43.200 --> 0:26:45.399 You don't have to try to force the door open. 0:26:46.000 --> 0:26:49.360 You don't have to convince people to like you. Promotion 0:26:49.600 --> 0:26:53.360 doesn't come from people, it comes from God. When you're 0:26:53.400 --> 0:26:58.160 being faithful in the small things, putting others first, you're 0:26:58.240 --> 0:27:02.000 on the path to greatness. You don't have to stress 0:27:02.320 --> 0:27:05.359 or fight for your position. You can live at peace 0:27:06.040 --> 0:27:10.719 knowing when it's your time, they'll sit for you. I 0:27:10.760 --> 0:27:15.240 heard this story about a professional mountain climber. He and 0:27:15.320 --> 0:27:18.639 his team were making one of the most challenging climbs 0:27:18.680 --> 0:27:22.159 in the world. Even some of the most experienced professionals 0:27:22.200 --> 0:27:25.320 hadn't been able to complete this. It was well below 0:27:25.440 --> 0:27:31.680 freezing and oxygen was scarce. About six hours from the summit, 0:27:31.720 --> 0:27:36.639 they encountered this huge, unexpected storm, making the journey even 0:27:36.680 --> 0:27:40.560 more dangerous as they made their way through the swirling 0:27:40.680 --> 0:27:45.200 snow and ice. This climber began to faintly make out 0:27:45.200 --> 0:27:48.440 the figure of a man curled up on the side 0:27:48.440 --> 0:27:52.640 of the path. He was completely unconscious and barely breathing. 0:27:53.400 --> 0:27:56.560 It wouldn't be long before he froze to death. So 0:27:56.680 --> 0:27:59.960 this climber stopped and began to help. But his team 0:28:00.680 --> 0:28:01.320 urged him. 0:28:01.200 --> 0:28:01.919 To keep going. 0:28:02.880 --> 0:28:06.199 They said, if you stop here, you could lose your 0:28:06.240 --> 0:28:07.800 own life. 0:28:07.880 --> 0:28:09.280 But he couldn't leave him behind. 0:28:10.480 --> 0:28:14.240 This climber knelt down in the snow and began massaging 0:28:14.440 --> 0:28:17.960 circulation back into the man's arms and legs. 0:28:18.880 --> 0:28:20.399 He did whatever he could to keep. 0:28:20.280 --> 0:28:25.040 Him warm, tried his best to wake him. After fifteen minutes, 0:28:25.800 --> 0:28:29.600 this man miraculously opened his eyes and the two made 0:28:29.600 --> 0:28:33.160 their way down the mountain together. Later, when they were 0:28:33.200 --> 0:28:36.440 examined by a doctor, he told the climber that had 0:28:36.440 --> 0:28:41.200 stopped to help. You didn't realize it, but your arms 0:28:41.200 --> 0:28:44.480 and legs were actually becoming numb. If you would have 0:28:44.560 --> 0:28:48.640 kept going, it would have only gotten worse. But by 0:28:48.720 --> 0:28:54.680 stopping to massage circulation back into his body, you actually 0:28:54.760 --> 0:29:01.000 increased your own circulation and probably saved your life. We 0:29:01.080 --> 0:29:05.800 may not even realize how vital serving is to our 0:29:05.840 --> 0:29:12.120 own lives. You have greatness on the inside, do your 0:29:12.200 --> 0:29:15.680 part to bring it out. Don't let a day go 0:29:15.800 --> 0:29:20.920 by without being good to someone else. When you're looking 0:29:20.960 --> 0:29:24.400 for people you can bless. Blessings will come looking for you. 0:29:25.680 --> 0:29:30.720 Take time for others, Lift those around you. Be quick 0:29:30.840 --> 0:29:35.000 to lend a hand. As you walk this path to greatness, 0:29:35.720 --> 0:29:37.680 Like with David, God will cause you. 0:29:37.880 --> 0:29:38.680 To be sent for. 0:29:39.600 --> 0:29:42.800 He'll cause the right people to find you. He'll open 0:29:42.880 --> 0:29:44.120 doors you didn't even know. 0:29:44.600 --> 0:29:45.320 We're an option. 0:29:46.600 --> 0:29:50.440 That's not why we serve, That's just how good our 0:29:50.480 --> 0:29:51.000 God is. 0:29:52.280 --> 0:29:52.680 Amen. 0:29:54.160 --> 0:29:57.040 Thank you for listening to the Joe Los Dean podcast. 0:29:57.360 --> 0:30:00.440 Help us continue to share the message of hope those 0:30:00.520 --> 0:30:04.400 all over the world. Visit Joeloustein dot com slash give 0:30:04.480 --> 0:30:06.160 Hope to give a gift today. 0:30:07.480 --> 0:30:09.920 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:30:10.040 --> 0:30:12.760 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:30:12.800 --> 0:30:15.880 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:30:16.120 --> 0:30:18.959 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:30:19.160 --> 0:30:20.200 We'll see you next time. 0:30:27.240 --> 0:30:29.720 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:30:29.800 --> 0:30:33.520 for their mental health struggles. 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